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Today we will continue with a description of how to structure a TASK 2 paragraph. The first thing to understand is that there is no rule about this. A good paragraph will have a TOPIC SENTENCE that describes what the paragraph is about and it will be highly focused but there are actually many different ways that paragraphs can be written.

Here is one possible outline for a paragraph:

Topic sentence (a short sentence which says specifically what the paragraph is about)
main point 1 (first point supporting the topic sentence)
– support sentence 1 (explain what is meant by main point 1)
– support sentence 2 (explain what the consequences are of support sentence 1)

main point 2 (second point supporting the topic sentence)
– support sentence 1 (explain what is meant by main point 2)
– support sentence 2 (explain what the consequences are of support sentence 2)

There are many other structures that could be used. The point is that the paragraph expands and develops the arguments related to whatever the topic is that you are responding to.

Here is how such a paragraph might look for the previous post related to the use of mobile phones:

To begin with, it is argued by some that cell phones cause some problems. (The topic sentence-it tells you what this paragraph is about) Face-to-face communication is a case in point. (This is the first main point: it just means face-to-face communication is an example.) When people go to dinner, for instance, everyone sits around the table using their mobile phone, ignoring their friends sitting right in front of them. (That is support sentence 1 that explains main point 1). This can lead to a breakdown in the relationships between people if they feel offended and hurt when their friends show no interest in talking to them. (This extends the argument by showing a consequence of the previous sentence – it is support sentence 2 for main point 1. Now we add main point 2.) In addition, mobile phones can be very expensive. (second main point.) The problem is that the cost of a smart phone is often very high and models come out frequently. (first support sentence explaining the problem) When young people are lured into constantly updating their phone, the financial burden can be enormous leading to significant stress and pressure on the individual, which may have a detrimental effect on their daily life. (Second support sentence that shows the consequence of expensive phones.)

This is only one possible way to structure the paragraph. There really is an unlimited number of ways this can be achieved. The KEY POINT is that the paragraph is targeted on the topic that has been asked, it extends and develops the argument and DOES NOT simply list some main points without support sentences.

EXTENDING AND SUPPORTING the main points is critical. Essays which simply list a number of main points without developing these arguments cannot achieve a high score. Look at what the Public Band Descriptors say about this:

Band 7 (Task Response): presents, extends and supports main ideas

Clearly, if this is not done, it is impossible for the candidate to be awarded Band 7.

“Some people say that computer technology has been an extremely valuable development. Others disagree.
Discuss both sides of this issue and give your own opinion.”

The very first thing to understand here is that the wording: “Discuss both sides of this issue and give your own opinion.” DOES NOT tell you the order in which the essay should be written. That is, I DO NOT have to discuss the issue FIRST and then give my opinion.

First, the candidate must decide where they stand on the issue. MAKE YOUR LIFE SIMPLE! Write the essay in the simplest way that will get you a high score and this DOES NOT mean saying ‘I partly agree and partly disagree’. To write an essay like that well, is quite difficult.

I will take the side that computer technology is a good thing.

Now the question tells me I MUST do THREE very important things to answer the question fully:

1 write about WHY some people think computer technology is bad
2 write about WHY I think it is good
3 show my opinion throughout the essay i.e. IN EVERY PARAGRAPH

This is easier than it sounds. Here is one structure that could be used:

There is, of course, no rule about the number of paragraphs in the essay. Candidates could write 4 body paragraphs if they wanted … BUT … you have 40 minutes and only 250 words, so this is not really a great idea.

We have already discussed introductions. I will put my opinion right there IN THE INTRODUCTION so the reader is VERYCLEAR about what I think. I WILL NOT SAY “I think” or “in my opinion” because this is not allowed in academic writing BUT, if you look carefully at the IELTS Public Band Descriptors, they DO NOT say you cannot do this in an IELTS exam. Nevertheless, I want to write a good essay by ANY STANDARD so I won’t do it because it is not acceptable in high level writing.

INTRODUCTION
To introduce the topic I need a general sentence that raises the issue of computer technology. There are tens of thousand of ways to write such a sentence. Here is one way:

“Over the past 50 years computer technology has exploded into every part of modern life.”

This sentence stands alone. It does not carry on into another sentence. Its only purpose is to raise the issue of computer technology so the reader has an idea about what this essay is about.

The second sentence of the introduction will give my opinion on this issue but it will also raise the other side of this issue because I was asked in the task to address both sides of the issue AND give a clear opinion. I will do all of this in the next sentence:

“While some people may argue that computer technology has a number of drawbacks, it is very clear that it has far more advantages than disadvantages.”

Can you tell which side I am on? I have not said “I think” or “I believe” but it is very clear that the writer is in favour of computer technology. It is also clear that the writer might recognise some of the disadvantages (“far more advantages the disadvantages”) but that for the writer these disadvantages are not nearly as important as the advantages. This is a very clear opinion and it is right here in the introduction.

PLEASE NOTE that NOTHING in the way the question is asked REQUIRES that I discuss this topic and THEN give my opinion. It is absolutely fine to give my opinion and justify it later – this approach also makes for a very clear essay.

The entire introduction is therefore:

“Over the past 50 years computer technology has exploded into every part of modern life. While some people may argue that computer technology has a number of drawbacks, it is very clear that it has far more advantages than disadvantages.”

I can write this in a better way but this is quite simple and yet still does what is required at Band 7 in the IELTS Task 2 Writing Band Descriptors for Task Response;

“gives a clear position”

Note that one important way I have achieved this is because I used the expression: “While some people may argue …” because this shows the reader clearly that this IS NOT the writer’s opinion – this is what OTHER people say. In an indirect way, this phrasing gives the writer’s opinion.

FIRST BODY PARAGRAPH
In this paragraph I will present the other side of the argument, the side I DO NOT agree with. So I begin with a paraphrase of the first clause above: “While some people may argue that computer technology has a number of drawbacks, …”

One way to begin might be:

“To begin with, IT IS ARGUED BY SOME that computer technology causes several problems.”

(I will discuss the structure of good paragraphs next time.)

SECOND BODY PARAGRAPH
The second body paragraph presents THE WRITER’S SIDE and it is achieved very simply.

“Nevertheless, despite these arguments, computer technology has so many more advantages than disadvantages that its use is imperative.”

Note that this word “Nevertheless” carries a lot of meaning – while it is similar to “although” or “however” it carries more meaning than either of these words. It essentially means that what I have said is true but what I am about to say is still true regardless of what I said before.

(I will discuss the structure of good paragraphs next time.)

CONCLUSION
We really need to develop the second body paragraph to know exactly how to write the conclusion but we can give a general idea here and then we will come back and revise it in a couple of days time:

“In short, although computer technology may have some disadvantages, it has far more advantages especially for xxxx and xxxxx.”

Notice that I have had to leave the two aspects of computer technology that I should have discussed in the second body paragraph blank because we have not written the paragraph yet. BUT … we will – tomorrow.

We will also add an extra sentence to the conclusion then as well.

Nevertheless, you can see that even this one sentence conclusion gives a very clear opinion. So we have achieved something very important here: in every paragraph of this essay we have been able to express a very clear opinion and it really wasn’t that hard to achieve.

This advice may well sound too simple to be serious. It is indeed simple advice, but it is critical to IELTS Writing success.

When you write an essay, how many times do you look back at the question to check that what you are writing is answering the question you think you have been asked?

Many candidates get a very low IELTS score in Task 2 writing because they have not answered the question they were asked. Look at what the Public Band Descriptors say about this:

Band 5: addresses the task only partially;Band 4: responds to the task only in a minimal way or the answer is tangential (not directly related to what was asked)Band 1: answer is completely unrelated to the task

If you think Band 1 would not be given to a good writer, think again.

How do you make sure you are writing on the topic you have been asked?

STEP 1: Re-read the question every time you start a new paragraph and identify which part of the question the paragraph you are writing answers.

STEP 2: Every time you write a sentence identify how that sentence answers the question you have been asked. Don’t do this from memory – take your pencil and POINT to it on the question paper.

Even though you are under severe time pressure, do not just write the essay without constantly referring back to the question you have been asked.

The penalty for missing the topic and writing an irrelevant answer is huge – do not become a victim to this frequent mistake by IELTS candidates.

THE MYTH OF ESSAY TYPES
Too many teachers place far too much emphasis on essay types in the IELTS Writing Test. They will tell you about problem and solution type essays, advantages and disadvantages essays, agree and disagree type essays and so on. This is a real TRAP.

READ THE QUESTION. ANSWER THE QUESTION.

I cannot say this enough. Too many students write essays that are unrelated to at least one part of an essay question because they talk about advantages and disadvantages when that was not the question that was asked.

Here is a very simple example of this. Suppose you were asked this question:

“Some people think that children learn history best from historical television programs. Others believe they can learn best from history websites.
Discuss the advantages of both of these methods and give your own opinion.”

This essay IS NOT asking for advantages and disadvantages. In this question candidates must do three things very, very clearly:

1. Explain some of the benefits of learning history from TV programs
2. Explain some of the benefits of learning history from history websites.
3. Explain clearly which they think is best.

On point 3, candidates MUST give a clear opinion. That opinion might be that it is possible to learn effectively both ways or that one way is better than the other. BUT … it must be a very clear opinion and NOT something like:

“… the issue is so complicated that individuals must make up their own minds about this matter.”

Many students fail to put clear opinions on these types of essays, either not giving an opinion at all, giving a very confusing opinion or stating an opinion unsupported by the essay they have written.

If you read the question carefully, it is very clear what you have to do. DON’T TRY TO REMEMBER PATTERNS for essays. READ THE QUESTION and ANSWER THE QUESTION ASKED.

I promised to show how to write the full introduction today but I have made this slight detour to explain the importance of giving a direct response to the question asked because the way we must write the full introduction is determined by the need to give a direct answer to the question and we will continue this tomorrow.

We have talked a lot about Task 1 essays over the past 5 weeks or so and I want to take a break for a day or two to mention some very important aspects of Task 2 Writing.

Here is a Task 2 question:

“Some people argue that early marriage is part of traditional lifestyle in some countries and should be respected. Others say it is damaging to young girls and their future.
Discuss both sides of this issue and give your own opinion.”

While there are many ways this question can be answered, the simplest way to achieve a high score is to make sure you give avery clear position right in the introduction.

Look at what the Public Band Descriptors say at Band 7 under Task Response:

“presents a clear position throughout the response”

Given this information, it may not be a good idea to write an introduction like:

“This essay looks at ideas in favour of and against early marriage.”

or

“This essay will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of early marriage and give my opinion.”

or even this, which someone is teaching candidates in Bangkok:

“This essay will look at the pros and cons of early marriage and after our consideration I will give my opinion.”

While these introductions do give a clear position about what the candidate is going to write, none of them make cleat what the candidate believes and this makes the whole essay a little less clear than it could be.

These introduction fail to give a clear opinion in the introduction and the next two paragraphs, if they just list the advantages and disadvantages, may also fail to make it clear where the writer stands.

If the writer then leaves their opinion to the conclusion, it may not be clear at all and this could mean the candidate has not addressed one part of the task and would lead to a Band 5 for Task Response according to the Public Band Descriptors:

“addresses the task only partially”

So what could the writer have done to solve this problem?

One approach might be something like this (second sentence of the introduction):

“While some people may suggest that early marriage is simply a reflection of culture and tradition, this argument fails to take into account the damage and devastation it can cause in the lives of many young girls.”

The very strong language “damage and devastation”, makes it very clear where the writer stands even though they have not written “I think” anywhere.

This also sounds like it is going to be a much more interesting essay to read.

Try it out. Take a position and make it clear. It is not too hard once you get the idea.

NOTE:
This example is really written at a quite high level. Here is a simpler version that also gives a clear opinion:

“While some people may suggest that early marriage is simply a tradition, it is clear that it is unfair to the girl.”

Of course, it does’t matter which side of the argument you take:

“While some people think that early marriage is bad for girls, it is an important part of several traditional cultures and should be respected.”

Both these are simpler than the example above and both give a very clear opinion of where the writer stands.

We will talk more about introductions tomorrow as I would normally advise students to write a 2 sentence introduction where the sentences shown here would actually be the SECOND SENTENCE of the introduction.

“In many countries traditional foods are being replaced by international fast foods. This is having a negative effect on both families and societies. To what extent do you agree or disagree?”

In deciding how to approach this question, forget about ‘advantages-disadvantages; agree-disagree’ type essays you may have learned how to write, or any other ‘essay type’ you have been told about.

The danger in trying to classify an IELTS exam question into one of the types you may have learned how to write in the past is that you will miss an important part of the question.

For example, in this question you are asked your opinion about the issue of fast foods replacing traditional schools in relation to the effects it has on both families and societies. This is critical. A response that ignored the issues of the effect of fast food supplanting (replacing) traditional foods that did not talk about the effect on BOTH families AND society would fail to answer the question.

To illustrate this, if you argued that fast food was not a nutritious food and contained excessive amounts of fats and sugar and was therefore not a healthy food, but DID NOT go on to talk about the effect that this has on families (child and adult obesity, diabetes, heart disease, increased days off work/school due to illness, family fracturing due to early death of family members as a result of disease etc. for example) and society (increased health care costs, lost work hours due to worker sickness, damage to economy, increased early death and family disruption due to deaths resulting from poor eating habits etc. for example) then you would not have addressed the question that was asked.

In other words, the question does not simply ask about whether or not you think fast food is good or bad, it asks about whether you think it is bad in relation to the damage it does to families and society as a whole.

One way to structure the essay would be to have one paragraph on the effects on families and the second paragraph describing the effects on society when international fast foods (hamburgers, pizza etc.) replace traditional foods.

It is very easy for candidates to miss the full question in Task 2 and only partially answer what was asked. In fact, this is so easy to do, one well known IELTS website made the same mistake when they posted a sample answer to a recent Task 2 question. When the so called ‘experts’ can make this mistake, it serves as a warning to everyone to be very careful when deciding what you have been asked to do in the task question.

“Some people argue that early marriage is part of traditional lifestyle in some countries and should be respected, others say it is damaging to young girls and their future.
Describe the arguments supporting both these positions and give your own opinion.”

Here is a quite common second sentence from an introduction:

“This essay looks at ideas in favor of and against early marriage.”

or

“This essay will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of early marriage and give my opinion.”

These are very poor introductions if the candidate is trying to achieve Band 7. One of the reasons for this can be found in the Public Band Descriptors at Band 7 which say, under Task Response:

• presents a clear position throughout the response

These introduction fail to give a clear opinion in the introduction and the next two paragraphs, if they just list the advantages and disadvantages, may also fail to make it clear where the writer stands.

So what could the writer have done to solve this problem?

One approach might be something like this (second sentence of the introduction):

“While some people may suggest that early marriage is simply a reflection of culture and tradition, this argument fails to take into account the damage and devastation it can cause in the lives of many young girls.”

The very strong language “damage and devastation”, make it very clear where the writer stands even though they have not written “I think” anywhere.

This also sounds like it is going to be a much more interesting essay to read.

Try it out. Take a position and make it clear. It is not too hard once you get the idea.

The problem with trying to teach IELTS candidates 4 or 5 essay types to deal with in the IELTS exam is that there are far more than 4 or 5 ways to ask a Task 2 question. Teachers who use this approach are locking their students into a box and may well condemn them to not answering the question correctly.

There is only one approach in Task 2 that will be successful, and it is not rocket science:

READ THE QUESTION

ANSWER THE QUESTION

Let’s see how this works. Here is the question from last week:

“Some people argue that academically weak students should study in the same class as academically strong students. Others argue that they should study in separate groups. What are the benefits of both these approaches and what is your opinion?”

To begin, answer these questions:

How many questions is the candidate required to answer?

What are they?

What could be a topic sentence for each part?

ANSWERS:

There are 3 questions to answer (did you see all three?)

a. What are the benefits of putting weak and strong students together?
b. What are the benefits of keeping them in different groups?
c. Which method does the writer think is best?

Notice that this question DOES NOT directly ask for disadvantages. It asks for the BENEFITS of each approach. There is, however, room to talk about the disadvantages of one of the approaches when the writer gives their opinion, but this is NOT a necessary part of the answer.

Once you have answered these questions your next task is to decide which side you are on. DO NOT sit on the fence – TAKE A SIDE!

I know there are teachers who tell their students to always ‘sit on the fence’ and partly agree or partly disagree, but I have been teaching for a long time and from the thousands of essays I have read in my career, this approach, unless the writer is very good, always leads to the most confused and often contradictory essays. TAKE A SIDE – the essay is easier to write.

Once you have taken a side, you write about the side you DO NOT agree with FIRST and then follow it in the next paragraph with the side you agree with. Let’s make an outline for the essay above.

Here is a possible second sentence for the introduction:

“While there are some benefits when weak and strong students are educated in separate groups, the overwhelming advantages gained in both the academic and social development of students by having them study in the same group makes this approach the most desirable teaching methodology.”

TOPIC SENTENCE – 1st BODY PARAGRAPH

To begin with, there are some benefits in ease of preparation for the teacher when academically able and weak students are steamed into their own ability levels.

TOPIC SENTENCE – 2nd BODY PARAGRAPH

Although streaming students may provide some benefits for the teacher, there are overwhelming advantages for student development when they are able to study in the same group.

Which side am I on?

I have NOT said “I believe that …”, “I think that ….”, “in this essay I will discuss both views and give my opinion”, “while I hold this view I understand that many others will disagree with me …” or any of the other phrases that candidates are frequently taught to use – none of which add value to their writing.

Nevertheless, my position is clear right from the introduction. In addition, because of the structure I have used, I can give advantages of the side I DISAGREE with and run no risk that my opinion will be confused because I reinforce my opinion in the very first sentence of the second body paragraph, and I will reinforce it again in the first sentence of the conclusion.

How did I know how to do all this?

I know that at Band 7 the Public Band Descriptors say:

addresses all parts of the task

presents a clear position throughout the response

This tells me to answer all parts of the question and make my opinion clear at all times.

I did not have to memorize any imaginary “essay types” that someone thinks exist. All I had to do was know what the Public Band Descriptors say and read the question.

If you use this approach, it doesn’t matter how they ask you the question, it could be something you have never seen before in your life, you will still know how to structure an answer for it.

“Some people believe that culture and traditions will be destroyed by the money-making attractions aimed at tourists. Others think it is the only way to save these cultures and traditions. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.”

should look like this:

There are 3 questions that must be addressed:

How do the money making attractions aimed at tourists damage culture and traditions?

How do they help in protecting culture and traditions?

What is your own opinion on the issue?

The first step, after deciding how many questions you must answer, is to decide what your position on the issue is. Your actual position doesn’t matter, except that you must have one. Having a position tells you how to structure your essay logically and it will lead to a clearer essay that does not suffer the confusion, and often the contradictions that occur, in essays that try to give a totally balanced view.

Topic Sentence for the First Body Paragraph. (this is the side you DO NOT agree with)

“To begin with, some people argue that culture and traditions are damaged/(protected and preserved) by the attractions which are designed to pull tourists in to an area.”

This wording implies that this is what “some people argue” – it is not the writer’s opinion. However, this allows the writer to raise some of the arguments on the other side without confusing the reader about whether it is their own opinion or not.

Topic Sentence for the Second Body Paragraph. (this is the side YOU AGREE with)

“Nevertheless, the protection and preservation of/ (damage to) culture and traditions resulting from developments intended to support tourism is immeasurable.”

This is a very clear statement of where the writer stands. The writer used the word “immeasurable” – this is a very strong word and the implication is that the writer believes there are so many arguments on this side that they are actually beyond measure. It signals a very strong opinion.

In addition, the second sentence of a two sentence introduction will clearly show the writer’s opinion and the first sentence of a two sentence conclusion will repeat (in different words) this same sentence and again reinforce what the writer believes.

As an example, suppose I am on the side that agrees that tourism can protect culture if managed carefully. The second sentence of my introduction might read:

“Although tourism and the attractions that surround it may be a threat to culture and traditions in some situations, there is overwhelming evidence that, managed carefully, tourism not only protects and preserves indigenous culture and traditions, but can also be the source of enormous feelings of pride in local people.”

If this looks too difficult, here is a much simpler version:

“Although money spinning tourist attractions may damage culture and traditions in some situations, there is absolutely no doubt that the protection they offer is far more significant.”

Don’t try to write the more difficult sentences unless your grammar knowledge will let you do it without making errors. This simpler sentence is still a subordinate clause structure and can score all the way to Band 9 depending what other sentences I use and how accurately I get the grammar.

One of the biggest tragedies in task 2 writing is when the candidate fails to completely answer the question. Look at the impact it will have on the candidate’s score.

The Public Band Descriptors say this about “Task Response”:

BAND 6:

addresses all parts of the task although some parts may be more fully covered than others

presents relevant main ideas but some may be inadequately developed/unclear

BAND 5:

addresses the task only partially

presents some main ideas but these are limited and not sufficiently developed

there may be irrelevant detail

BAND 4:

responds to the task only in a minimal way or the answer is tangential

presents some main ideas but these are difficult to identify and may be repetitive, irrelevant or not well supported

BAND 3:

does not adequately address any part of the task

BAND 1:

answer is completely unrelated to the task

What all this means is that:

if the candidate misses the topic completely, they will get Band 1 for Task response;

if they talk about the topic but do not answer the question that was asked they will get no higher than Band 4;

if they answer part of the question that was asked but not all they will get Band 5;

if they answer all parts of the question, even if some parts are not as completely answered as others they will get Band 6.

(Band 7 and 8 involve not only answering all parts of the question but giving a good detailed structured paragraph on each part of the question.)

The most common mistake is for the candidate to answer only one question when they were asked two or to answer only two questions when they were asked three. This is tragic. The questions are there on the paper – often, but not always, with question marks on them, and yet the candidate fails to fully answer the question under the pressure of the exam because of the stress of the situation and because they have not read the question carefully enough.

Surprisingly, I have even seen IELTS websites that make this same mistake. It is easy to do.

Some people believe that culture and traditions will be destroyed by the money-making attractions aimed at tourists. Others think it is the only way to save these cultures and traditions. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

How many tasks is the candidate required to write on?
What are they?
What could be a topic sentence for each part?

These three questions are the same three questions every candidate should ask themselves when they start to write a task 2 answer.

The IELTS exam does not test candidate grammar separately in a multiple choice type test. However, it tests grammar in every module of the test. In reading and listening it gets tested in gap fill or sentence completion type questions where the answer must fit grammatically into the gap.

It gets tested more directly in speaking and writing where the examiner is looking specifically at the kinds of sentence structure the candidate is using and scores the candidate on their ability to use grammar well.

One of the most frequent errors produced by even band 7 candidates is the incorrect use of verbs in a sentence. As you all know a simple sentence in English MUST contain a subject and a verb (well … ok … imperative sentences (instructions: e.g. Close the door!) don’t require a subject because it is understood who the subject is in these sentences, but you won’t get the opportunity to use this type of sentence in the IELTS exam).

To repeat, each simple sentence requires 1 subject and 1 verb. The place where many candidates go wrong is to have more than 1 verb in the sentence. This might sound like a silly mistake but it isn’t because sentences can get quite complicated very easily. It is sometimes quite difficult to know when a word is a verb or acting as a noun (or adjective or even adverb).

So here is an example sentence and 3 questions to answer:
“Over the same period, the percentage of commuters traveled by bus was approximately 18% at the beginning and then it rose considerably reached its peak at 26 % in 1980 before falling back to the former level in 2000.”

Look carefully at this sentence and see if you can answer these three questions:

How many verbs are there in this sentence?

How many verbs are required?

What can you do about the extra verbs to make the sentence correct?

Scroll down lower for the answer.

The verbs are:

traveled

was

rose

reached

Note that “falling” could have been an error as it is the present participle form of the verb “to fall” but the grammar is entirely correct in this part of the sentence and we therefore do not consider it to be a verb in its use here. However, the 4 verbs listed above are all verb forms in areas of the sentence which are grammatically incorrect so we need to look carefully to see what is wrong.

This sentence is a COMPOUND sentence – there is an “AND” in the middle of it. Compound sentences link simple sentences and so we expect there are two simple sentences joined int his long sentence. Each simple sentence needs its own verb so we expect to find 2 MAIN VERBS in the whole sentence.

So what do we do with the 2 extra verbs?

1. not all commuters traveled by bus so this is an indicator that we can describe this better; for example, we could write ” … commuters who traveled by bus ….”, using a defining relative clause, in this case we keep traveled as a verb but put it inside the relative clause and since relative clauses MUST HAVE their own verbs it is now a necessary part of the sentence. I could have also changed “traveled” to the participle “traveling” and this would have also removed this extra verb from the original sentence.

2. ” … and then it rose considerably … ” is fine the problem is with ‘reached’; we have to remove it as a verb and we have a few choices. We could use the ‘to infinitive’ “to reach” and this would solve the problem or we could use the -ing form which will also kill the verb – ” … reaching its peak …”.

We could even leave it as a verb and use another “and” to allow for another simple sentence to be added to the two we already have. In this case the sentence would read:

“… at the beginning and then it rose considerably and reached its peak at 26 % in 1980 before falling back to its former level in 2000.”

So there are three ways we could have removed the problem, in two we changed the verb into a noun form and in this last case we left it as the main verb in a new simple sentence attached to the original compound sentence with “and”.

The critical part for the writer is to realize when they have too many verbs in the sentence because this will make the entire sentence wrong and lead to a lower mark for grammar accuracy.

This is a complex issue and if anyone is confused please post a question.

“More and more students are choosing to study at colleges and universities in foreign countries. Do the benefits of studying abroad outweigh the drawbacks?”

THE PROBLEMThe candidate asked the following question:

“From what I understand, this is a discussion essay that we need to write two body paragraphs which talk about advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad. I’m not sure how to conclude it. I mean, is it good to tell which side is outweighed or do I need to balance ideas as the question didn’t ask for an opinion.”

ANSWERING THE ESSAY QUESTIONThree things about the wording of this essay question:

You do not necessarily have to write on both sides of the issue because it didn’t specifically tell you to – it just asks do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

It is asking for an opinion. It is asking if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages – that is asking what the candidate thinks about the issue.

Don’t try to classify questions according what teachers have told you. Read the question and answer the question you have been asked. (A recent survey of IELTS Task 2 questions available on the internet revealed that questions can be asked in over 25 different ways with each one requiring a distinct approach. Nobody can teach you all of these and few of us would remember how to do them all anyway.)

As already stated, this question actually doesn’t make it mandatory for you to discuss both sides of the issue (although this would be expected in a university essay). I could therefore answer this question without giving the opposing view.

For example, I could begin my essay:

“Many students are attracted to the possibility of studying overseas these days. Although it has been suggested that studying abroad has a number of drawbacks, the advantages it provides in relation to educational and personal development are clear and overwhelming.”

I would then go on to write a body paragraph on the educational benefits and another on the personal development benefits.

Sometimes the IELTS Task 2 question will say:

“Discuss both views and give your opinion”

In this case, if you do not give both views you will lose marks for not completely answering the question.

For candidates who are trying to obtain band 7 it is essential that you make your position clear throughout your essay. Therefore the idea of writing a balanced essay is really quite dangerous if it is not asked for. It can be done, but the danger is that the reader will be confused about which side you are on. (There is terrible advice current in Bangkok at the present time on this issue which basically tells candidates to say something to the effect: ” … ‘name of topic’ is a controversial issue which has both pros and cons and the individual should make up their own mind on this issue.”)

When asked to give an opinion, as in this essay, take a side and present your argument.

If you do put the opposing view to the one you will take, put that paragraph first and give the side you agree with the second body paragraph (or second and third if you write three body paragraphs). Do not attempt to give the side you do not agree with a strong case. Make your opinion clear in the introduction and again in the conclusion.

Here is an introduction and conclusion that make the writer’s position clear for the essay topic given above. (The body paragraphs gave a negative paragraph about the cultural problems faced and problems with visas and the positive paragraph talked about the things summarized in the conclusion below.)

INTRODUCTION:
Nowadays, studying abroad has become a very popular trend with students. Although study in a foreign country has some disadvantages, the advantages are overwhelming and make it essential for a very high level education which will maximize the future possibilities for our people and nation.

CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, although there are some disadvantages, studying in a foreign country provides significant and unquestionable advantages in giving access to knowledge that is unavailable in the students’ home country, cultivating the qualities of independence and responsibility and improved understanding of and tolerance for people who are different. If we are to maximize the opportunities education provides, studying in a foreign country should be encouraged for all who are interested in it.

“Many people think it is very important to protect the environment but they make no effort to do it themselves. Why do you think this is the case? What actions should individuals take to protect the environment?”

This answer deliberately uses some quite high level vocabulary. If you don’t know some of these words, use a dictionary to find out the meaning and then try to use some of the expressions in your own writing. This essay is long (385 words) and it should be cut a little in each paragraph. I have not done this but stress that you should NOT try to write this length essay. (I will try to post an edited version late next week).

While the world makes amazing technological advances almost daily, it is also facing more serious environmental concerns than it has had to face at any time in all of human history. Although many people are sympathetic to the problem and say they care, various reasons prevent them from taking personal action, even when very simple steps are available that would, if adopted, allow everyone to participate in reducing the impact of environmental problems.

To begin with, many factors inhibit people from taking action on environmental issues. One of the most important is the feeling of powerlessness which is felt by many people in the face of these huge problems. Environmental issues such as global warming, atmospheric pollution in big cities and even holes found in the ozone layer feature on major news services on a regular basis. Although many people profess to be concerned about environmental issues, in the face of such huge problems, most people believe there is little they can do to change the situation.

Fortunately there are many things that individuals can do that would have an impact on the problem over time, if enough people become involved. One of the first but most significant actions individuals could take is to use public transport. While it is less convenient for most people, the use of public transportation would significantly reduce the effect of atmospheric pollution from cars, which is devastating to the air quality in all big cities. Moving to public transport would not only reduce the amount of pollution from car exhausts, which would result in cleaner air, but it would also have the added benefit of reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which are responsible for global warming, which many scientists say we are already suffering from, and would circumvent (prevent) the predicted catastrophic changes to weather patterns that global warming will bring in the future.

In the final analysis, using public transport is just one of many things that people can do to assist the environment and improve the chances that the world will survive the environmental dangers which are currently on the horizon. Nevertheless, if this is to be achieved, it will require a concerted effort by everyone to overcome the feelings of powerlessness many people experience in the face of this seemingly insurmountable problem.

I was asked at the end of the Writing Clinic on Sunday about what a candidate should do if they were asked for an opinion in Task 2 writing in the IELTS exam.

Band 7 of the Public Band Descriptors says this on the issue:

■ presents a clear position throughout the response

One way to achieve this is for the candidate to state their opinion clearly in the introduction.

Example:

Let’s suppose the question was to:

“Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of giving financial aid to poor countries in the developing world and give your opinion on the issue.”

Instead of this very poor sentence from the introduction:

“In this essay I will discuss both sides of the issue and give my opinion.”

the following is much clearer in what it says and far superior in grammar:

“Although there are a number of disadvantages in giving financial aid to poor countries, it is imperative that wealthy nations continue to give this assistance to developing countries as the benefits far outweigh any disadvantages.”

There is one word in this sentence (which would be the last sentence of a two sentence introduction) that expresses a clear and strong opinion. Can you see which word it is and why it gives a strong and clear opinion?

Understanding the Question

Here is a question type that causes many problems in the IELTS exam:

Over the past 15 years there has been an enormous advance in electronic communications. This has lead to an explosion in people using the “short messaging service”, sms messages, to communicate with each other. Why is this and is this a positive development?

Many candidates when faced with this type of question start of saying something like:

“There are many advantages and disadvantages to text messages and this essay we will look at both sides of the argument….”

The problem is, this is wrong. Let us see why.

The first sentence is giving you background, what we call in English “setting a context”; it is telling you about the GENERAL topic BUT IT IS NOT THE QUESTION.

The second sentence is also NOT THE QUESTION, but it tells you about the specific topic you have to write about in this essay.

The LAST SENTENCE is the question.

So, what is the specific topic we have to discuss?

It is:

“the ‘explosion’ in sms messaging” (‘texting’ on mobile phones)

What is the specific question?

Why is “this”?

“this” is a reference word, (one of those words that will get you a higher Band Score in your own writing), and it is referring to the “explosion in sms messages” talked about in the previous sentence.

So, the first question is:

“Why has there been a huge increase in text messaging.”

BUT, there is one more question in that last sentence, it is:

“Is this a positive development?”

that is, “is text messaging a positive development?”

The candidate will need 4 paragraphs:

Introduction:

Maybe something like:

“The number of text messages being sent has increased rapidly over recent years. The reasons for this are related to speed and convenience of sms messages, which means texting is an extremely positive development.”

(35 words)

This introduction uses NO MEMORIZED sentences (that most examiners know anyway and many even know the names of the teachers in Bangkok teaching them); uses a RELATIVE CLAUSE structure (which can get you Band 6 and higher); and is a VERY clear statement of what the writer is going to say and what the reader will find WITHOUT having to say: “this essay will discuss blah blah blah ….” This is on the way to Band 7!

First Body Paragraph:
Explain some reasons why people use text messages. Why they find it FAST and CONVENIENT.

Second Body paragraph:
Explain WHY it is a positive development.

Conclusion:
Sum up the idea presented in the essay. DO NOT introduce anything new.

Something like:

“In the final analysis, it is the rapid transmission of clear, short messages that can be sent from any location, at any time that has made texting such a popular and positive development. If electronics continue to develop in the future, sms messaging may not be the last positive development in communications technology.”

(53 words)

PLEASE NOTE:

This essay WAS NOT an “advantages/ disadvantages” type essay BECAUSE:

1. it asked WHY sms messages are so popular

AND

2. it simply asked “is this a positive development?” so you DO NOT have to argue both positive AND negative – just one side is enough.

If you find this article useful comment below and we will do more like this if you are interested.

I have received this question from a candidate who does not want to be identified.

“A teacher (actually he is a friend) told me to forget about Task 1 and spend my time on Task 2 because it is worth double Task 1. He said just do a little of Task 1 and I will still get to Band 5.5.”

This candidate only needs to get to 5.5 in order to satisfy her Thai university for graduation.

This is extremely bad advice. Some years ago I also heard a ‘teacher’ give this same advice.

It is true that Task 2 is worth double the marks of Task 1 – that’s why they recommend spending double the time. If we do the mathematics we will see the problem.

Suppose a candidate does a quite poor response to Task 1 in order to spend most of the time on Task 2 and they score:
Task 1: Band 4
Task 2: Band 5.5

The mark is calculated this way:

(task 1 + 2 x Task2)/3

and the result is rounded to the nearest half mark, but rounded down if it is exactly halfway i.e. 5.25 is recorded as 5 NOT 5.5. So our candidate would get:

(4 + 2 x 5.5)/3 = 15/3 = 5 and is recorded as 5 overall for writing.

In fact, this candidate would need to score 6 on the Task 2 to reach an overall score of 5.5 in writing! (A Band 5 on the task 1 would have achieved overall 5.5 also – this is easier to do than getting Band 6 on the Task 2 essay.

So the advice to spend most of the time on Task 2 because it is the most important essay is actually WRONG. Candidates MUST balance their time between the two essays in order to do well.

This is an excellent question, thank you for asking. I hope this helps.

Topic sentence (what the paragraph is about).
Main support (your main point or points)
Minor support (something that backs up your main point)

This is how you do it. You ask questions.

Part of a Task Question:
Why do people use private cars for transport?

In this case you don’t have to make a question because the task topic is a question.

Begin with the topic sentence, the first sentence of the paragraph that describes what the paragraph is about (here you will write about why people use private cars). An example topic sentence would be:

“To begin with, there are a number of important reasons why people prefer to use private cars to get around.”

So why do people use private cars? Here are some ideas.

Convenient. Why is it convenient: because public transport doesn’t go everywhere; because public transport doesn’t work all the time; because it avoids dangers; because public transport is crowded and sometimes dirty.

This is enough; we don’t have to think more. In fact, we don’t even need all these ideas!

So here is a paragraph:

“To begin with, there are a number of important reasons why people prefer to use private cars to get around. One of the most important is convenience. For example, while public transport is cheap, it does not go everywhere, which means using public transport always leads to having to walk to the final destination. Furthermore, public transport doesn’t function all the time, most importantly, late at night. This can result in exposure to danger when it is necessary to walk. Although using private cars is more expensive, it avoids these serious problems.” (92 words)

This paragraph only has one main point: it is convenient. Importantly, it also has three minor supports, can go anywhere, can travel anytime and avoid dangers.

Let’s break down a good paragraph to illustrate what we mean in the last post.

Suppose one part of the task question is:
“Describe the disadvantages of using air freight to transport goods around the world.”

Here is an example paragraph:

Unfortunately, the use of air freight has a number of important disadvantages with two of the most significant being expense in terms of money and damage to the environment. To begin with, although air freight is fast, the most obvious disadvantage is that it costs a lot of money to ship goods by air as opposed to sending them by ship or rail. This cost is usually passed on to the consumer, making a business less competitive. While this financial disadvantage is significant, the environment also suffers enormously. For example, exhaust gases from planes pollute the air, adding green-house gases and other pollutants to the atmosphere, and aircraft also create noise pollution around airports, which makes life uncomfortable for people who must live in close proximity to them.
(128 words)

Analysis:

The paragraph is a detailed answer which raises two main issues and briefly supports each main point.

First sentence describes what the paragraph is about (it is the topic sentence).
“To begin with…” is good linking; “..although air freight..” is a subordinate clause structure (band 6 and higher require these types of sentences); “This cost…” ‘this’ provides a reference and link to the previous sentence; “making a business…” is a participle phrase (a reduced relative clause ‘which makes a business ..’) providing a variety of sentence structures, which is necessary for Band 7; “While this financial disadvantage …” another subordinate clause structure and the word “this” provides a reference to the expense in the previous sentence (reference like this is necessary to be awarded band 6 and higher); “environment also suffers …” ‘also’ is a linking word that adds an additional example and links ideas coherently and logically; “adding green-house gases …” is a participle phrase structure, (a reduced relative clause – ‘which adds green-house ….’), which provides variety to sentence structures, which is needed to get higher than Band 6; “which makes life uncomfortable…” and “who must live in close…” are both relative clause structures, which are required to get band 6 and higher.

In short, a wide variety of sentence structures including complex sentence structures is used and according to the Public band Descriptors Band 7 requires “…a variety of complex structures”.

Sentence grammar is frequently correct (in fact, it is always correct), which is the requirement for Band 7 according to the Public Band Descriptors. Band 7 does not require the grammar to be perfect but in the words of the Public band Descriptors it requires “frequent error-free sentences”.

There are many good examples of accurate vocab that is less common: “to ship goods by air”; “as opposed to”; “passed on to”; “the consumer”; “making a business less competitive”; “financial disadvantage”; “environment also suffers enormously”; “exhaust gases”; “pollute the air”; “green-house gases”; “noise pollution”; “makes life uncomfortable”; “live in close proximity”. The vocabulary shows the use of style and collocation (being able to use combinations of words) which are both required to achieve Band 7 according to the Public Band Descriptors.

In fact this paragraph would score Band 9, so a Band 7 does not have to be this good. The important thing is to understand WHY this is a good paragraph and then aim to introduce some of the same things into your own writing. The more positive aspects you can introduce the better chance you have for a higher score.

Study this post carefully – there is a lot of information here. Achieving Band 7 is a difficult area to explain when not face-to-face with my students but hopefully this example paragraph will help you understand what I was talking about in the last post about answering the question and structuring the paragraph.

When I worked at IDP Education, we studied the IELTS results of over 1000 IELTS candidates which showed that writing was the weakest area. The IELTS performance of Thai candidates nation wide was on average 5.3 in 2010, the last year for which figures are available, and was the weakest of all modules in the exam.

(For General Training candidates Reading is the weakest area at an average of 5.2 and writing is 5.3).

In Thailand, only 7% of candidates achieve Band 7 overall in the IELTS test and a further 4% achieve Band 7.5 or higher.

Band 7 is not easy to get, yet doctors, nurses and very often, lawyers, need it and more and more universities, particularly in the USA and UK, are asking for it to gain entry.

So what are some common problems in Task 2 writing that prevent candidates getting Band 7?

I am going to talk about three. Answering the question, organization and sentence grammar. The first two are easy to fix, the third is a lot harder but I can tell you the right direction and what specific areas to improve.

Today we will talk about Task Response (did you answer the question)

The Public Band Descriptors say this about Band 7 task response:

addresses all parts of the task

presents a clear position throughout the response

presents, extends and supports main ideas, (but there may be a tendency to over-generalize and/or some supporting ideas may lack focus)

What does this mean?

You must answer ALL parts of the question FULLY. In addition it says that one sentence about one part of the question will not get you Band 7 (many candidates do this when they run out of time). Give at least one main argument and then support and extend it with reasons and/or examples and consequences.

If you are being asked for an opinion make it clear from the beginning, the introductory paragraph, what it is, then repeat it in the conclusion. DO NOT do what some language schools are telling their students and partly agree or disagree or conclude that it is up to the reader to decide. TAKE A POSITION.

(It is actually possible to partly agree/disagree but many candidates write a confused essay when they do this and get well below band 7 as a result. It is much easier to argue one side or the other.)

More on achieving Band 7 next time.

One Important Note:

DO NOT use bullet points and dot points in your IELTS writing in the way I have done here. This is NOT traditional essay format and according to the Public Band Descriptors would be penalized. Essay format means introduction, conclusion and body paragraphs made up of complete sentences linked together in a logical way that makes sense.